Sermon Tone Analysis

Pray

Hall of Fame Player, Cal Ripken Jr. is one of the most respected and known names in sports.

In his 21 Seasons of major league baseball, Cal Ripken would go on to become one of the best infielders in Baltimore Oriole history.

But what’s most impressive about Cal is not his lifetime batting average of .276

hitting his 3,184 hits, his 1,695 Runs Batted in or even his 431 home runs.

What’s truly impressive is the total number of consecutive games played in a row.

You see, on September 6, 1995, Cal broke the all-time Record by playing the 2,131st game in a row.

This record, which some deem the hardest record in sports to break is unique though.

You see, this record is not about the hits, the plays or the performance on the field.

Instead, this record comes down to a matter of commitment, a matter of the heart.

And yet, what Cal demonstrated for us in his 21 years of professional baseball, was not something he dreamt up one day.

Instead, Cals performance on and off the field was a reflection of what was passed down to him from his father.

Ripken would go on to say about his dad “Obviously with baseball, he was my prime example.

But also, his work ethic, the way he deals with people, the way he loves the game of baseball – all those things he really passed on to me, I think maybe without him knowing it.”

Cal would go add “Dad would go to baseball clinics on Saturday morning.

They’re really the most boring things you’d ever want to go to, for a kid.

You sit still the best you can for two or three hours while people talk about how to play baseball” and then Cal went on to explain: “I really learned the game of baseball by going to these clinics and listening to him, and he really wasn’t event talking to me.”

And finally, Cal would state: “Who I am as a person, how I analyze things, how I act, how I evaluate things, I’ve really come to realize that a lot of that comes from my father.”

You see, this morning, some 25 years after this initial article was written about the hall of fame player.

We look to the example of Cal Ripken Jr. and appreciate his commitment to the game.

We look to him, as with other players with a great sense of gratitude for the memories that they have provided for us in years gone by.

And yet, like with Cal, we realize the best of athletes, don’t arrive in the hall of fame by accident.

Instead, there development as players is a reflection of the parenting, the coaching and the lessons learned along the way.

You see, this morning, many of us can relate with developing in a particular hobby, or a sport, or perhaps an occupation from the result of what was taught to us by those who have gone before.

Many of you farmers for instance, could probably tell me stories of how dad should you the basics of planting and harvesting crops.

And while each occupation in life has its own skills of the trade that have been passed down from one generation to the next… what about our walk with Christ?

What about spiritual matters and growth as Christians as we develop more into the image of Christ?

That’s our topic of conversation this morning.

This is our last week in our sermon series entitled sow what?!

And our focus this morning is really on our growth as a Christian, as so influenced by the generation before us.

If you have your bibles turn with me to the book of Joshua 3.

And as you’re turning there this morning, our message is Sown in Legacy.

3 sermon points I want us to consider this morning.

Or 3 things I want to encourage us to do for the next generation.

1. Sow in Preparation 2. Sow in Faith (trust) 3. Sown in Knowledge

1. Sow in Preparation

If you have your bibles with you this morning, turn with me to Joshua 3, and as you’re turning there this morning, I want to unpack the scene that we encounter this morning.

First, you’ll recall that after the nation of Israel spent roughly 400 years in Egypt, God would finally call his people out of this nation.

Now if you remember, shortly after they left from Egypt, Moses will instruct 12 spies to go over to the promise land of Canaan, which we now know as Israel.

And inspect that land.

And then, upon returning back to Moses 10 of the spies brought back a bad report insisting that the land had people that were too great in size to conquer, and that the Israelites would be like grasshoppers to them if they were to attack.

And yet you’ll recall that unlike the 10 spies that brought the bad report, 2 men by the name of Joshua and Caleb brought back a good report about the land.

Now if you’ll recall, the people didn’t listen to Joshua and Caleb.

Instead, they acted in fear and disbelieve.

And God would ultimately punish this generation by in time, some sooner than others, by killing them off.

But as we close the pages of the book of Deuteronomy and transition into the book of Joshua, we see that there is a new generation, the next generation that will be entering the promised land.

But I want us to notice this morning is that although this first generation died off, there was a sense of responsibility from the parents onto the next generation in terms of holiness.

Deut 6:20-25 20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” 21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household.

23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors.

24 The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today.

25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

And so, in the roughly 40 years that have transpired, as the first generation of Israelites is wandering about the wilderness… there would have certainly been conversations that took place between mom and dad… with their children.

Or if mom and dad had passed away, there would have been conversations between the caretakers of the first generation and the children of the next generation.

but now, at the edge of the Jordan river, after years of captivity in Egypt and 40 years of wondering through the wilderness.

Will need to live out their faith.

You see, this morning, we arrive at the edge of the Jordan River, all of the conversations and excitement of what could be… were about to come to light… There is a sense of leaving the old way of life behind… and now walking into what’s best.

But listen, before they would journey on… they had to prepare themselves.

Joshua 3:1-5 explains: 3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.

4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.

But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

So, if we stop for a moment, we notice several things.

The first thing that we see is that it says that the That the ark of the covenant will go before the people.

The bible tells us, that this was necessary because the people had never been this way before and so the key is, the people are to follow where God leads.

God will go before them… and as he leads, they follow.

But the key I want us to see is verse 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

You see, what’s interesting is the people didn’t know the details.

They didn’t know specifically what God was going to do next, but what they did know is that they had to be ready to go.

You see, there’s this time of preparation.

A time, similar to Exodus 19 that their parents encountered at the base of Mount Sinai.

And the bible tells in Exodus 19:10:

10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow.

Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

So, there’s this same idea in terms of consecration, that the Lord had prepared for this first generation.

And here, we see that this next generation is to do the same.

You see the word consecratehere in Joshua 3:5 and also in Exodus chapter 19 is the same Hebrew word kaw-dash' which means to sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be holy, be separate.

And what I want us to see this morning is that oftentimes, before the Lord moves in a mighty way… he does so after we have prepared ourselves.

You see, I think back to bringing the youth group to summer camp.

And after being at camp all week, I’ve seen firsthand how God shows up in a big way.

You see typically on the last day or two of camp, you come to see many come to accept Christ as their savior.

Why is that?

Why is it that students, who are so glued to the cell phones, would do anything to get away from their cell phones and just be there with their peers and in the presence of the Lord?

(Jake)

You see, that’s where real change takes place.

You see friends, here’s the point… when we allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.

When we put down the distractions.

God tends to show up in a big way.

We get this concept right on Sunday mornings, and I trust each week, that you walk away closer to God then you did before you came into church…

James 4:8 tells us: Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

You see church, individually we must prepare ourselves each day to meet with God.

But we must also prepare and set apart the next generation.

Friends, the first generation of Israelites was not perfect.

I guarantee that… But at the same time, in all those years in the wilderness… I’m sure there were some real heart to heart conversations.

I’m sure there were some moments of parenting.

Some moments of reflection upon poor choices that were made by mom and dad, so that, through their choices… and yet, even though the first generation got it wrong… if nothing else, they helped to prepare their children for what was next.

Friends are we doing the same?

Friends, are we set apart this morning?

Are we preparing our children?